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+--- Thread: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 (/showthread.php?tid=1005)
Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - upnick - 03-24-2009
Hi All,
I have been adding the details to my Kato SD40 snootnose loco but there are no hose fittings provided in the box ... is there a hose set available for it or is it a case of a scratch build of them ....... i would like to add dtich lights to it but need better reference pics of a close up of the lights from the rear of them ........ also i found the horns are missing from the fittings pack.
The main lights are between the number boards on the kato here not as in the picture ..... is this the mid production version of the loco in the pic not the snoot nose ?
![[Image: BNSF6799.jpg]](http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/BNSF6799.jpg)
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - upnick - 03-24-2009
Putting original posting here it was early morning .. i should have looked on Kato USA ......... ordered the MU hoses and horns for the loco also some ditch lenses but i stll needs some good pics of the ditch lights and mountings next to the rails if anyone can help please.
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - Tom - 03-24-2009
Heya Nick,
I thought I had some good pics of anticlimber top mount ditch lights, but it seems I do not. I do have several pics of pilot mounted ditch lights mounted right under the anticlimber, if that will help you. Just let me know and I'll post them.
To answer your questions though, there is no wiring that coems out of the back of the anticlimber mounted ditch lights, in fact, the bracket is just flat on the back. Flat and smooth. The wiring goes through the bracket and comes out underneath it. Not sure how you'd do that on a top mounted model without having wires protruding from the backs though. That's one of the reasons I model the late 1970's to early 1980's, no ditch lights to worry about.
But let me know if you need any other detail photos, I have a slug of them taken of some EMD's at work, I took photos (Hi-res digital photos) of just about anything you can imagine inside and outside the units.
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - upnick - 03-25-2009
Hi Tom,
Many thanks for the information
if you could post some images i would be very grateful 
wish Kato would fit lightpipes in the locos to save making ditch lights. 
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - Russ Bellinis - 03-25-2009
Nick, from Tom's description, you may have all of the detail you need to model those ditch lights. It sounds like the mounting plates are just flat pieces thick enough to run wires through on the prototype. I'm thinking that the best way to model the anti-climber mounted ditch lights would be to use telephone wire with the insulation stripped off to power the lights. Run the wire tight against the back of the ditch light brackets and paint the wire the same color as the wire black. You would end up with the wires being visible on the back of the ditch light brackets, but the wire would be so small without the insulation that the paint wold probably cause them to virtually disappear. Another method might be to make your brackets from 2 pieces of .010 thick styrene with the wires sandwiched between the styrene which would hide them, but might make the brackets too thick.
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - Tom - 03-25-2009
I concur with Russ, that's how *I* would do it. The brackets are about 3" thick, so in HO, that would be pretty thin.
Let me reduce the size of some pilot mounted lights and post those though, as well as the MU hose placement for you.
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - Tom - 03-25-2009
Pilot mounted ditch lights on an EMD Road unit. Notice the conduit between the lights.
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - Tom - 03-25-2009
MU hose placement.
M.R. = Main Reservoir Equalizing Hose
ACT = Independent (Loco only brakes) Actuating Hose
A&R = Independent Application & Release Hose
Let me know if you need any other detail shots. I took photos of just about everything on this unit.
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - upnick - 03-25-2009
Hi Tom,
How can i thank you enough those are brilliant pictures always can use good references for modelling detail ...... if you have the other pictures handy it would be good to have them please i will PM with my email addy to save on forum space.
All i need now is the light lenses to arrive from Kato USA and i can make a start.
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - upnick - 03-25-2009
Hi Russ,
Great instructions how to make the brackets/mounts for the lights ........ get out the LED'S and wire them up
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - Sarge - 03-25-2009
Here is a question I have never figured out yet. What size LEDs would you use for ditch lights and headlights?
Re: Hose fitting help for Kato SD40 - upnick - 03-25-2009
Sarge Wrote:Here is a question I have never figured out yet. What size LEDs would you use for ditch lights and headlights?
Hi Jim,
I would use SMD's for the lights though soldering them up can be tricky ..... only quick touch with the iron and a thin coat of cyano glue over the soldered joints.
Little critters they are
but do the job where space is at a premium. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tcsdcc.com/DecoderSelection/ToolsAndSupplies/LEDs/SMLEDs.htm">http://www.tcsdcc.com/DecoderSelection/ ... SMLEDs.htm</a><!-- m -->